Remote control apparatus

Abstract

A remote control apparatus to remotely control a patient-side system including medical equipment and an endoscope to capture an image of a surgery site according to an embodiment includes: an operation handle with which an operator controls the medical equipment; and an operation pedal section. The operation pedal section includes: plural pedals configured to be pressed down to execute functions concerning the medial equipment; and a base on which the plural pedals are arranged, the plural pedals being arranged at locations not overlapping each other in a planar view. The plural pedals include first height pedals with upper ends thereof located at a first height position and second height pedals with upper ends thereof located at a second height position, which is different from the first height position. The first height pedals are arranged alternately with the second height pedals.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A remote control apparatus for remotely controlling a patient-side system including a first medical equipment, a second medical equipment and an endoscope to capture an image of a surgery site, the remote control apparatus comprising:
 a first operation handle to control the first medical equipment;   a second operation handle to control the second medical equipment; and   an operation pedal section including:
 a first pedal including a first one end and a first other end and configured to execute a first function concerning the first medical equipment; 
 a second pedal including a second one end and a second other end and configured to execute a second function concerning the first medical equipment; 
 a third pedal including a third one end and a third other end and configured to execute the first function concerning the second medical equipment; 
 a fourth pedal including a fourth one end and a fourth other end and configured to execute the second function concerning the second medical equipment; 
 a fifth pedal including a fifth one end and a fifth other end and configured to execute a third function different from the first and second functions; and 
 a base by which the first through fifth pedals are supported, wherein 
   the first to the fifth one ends of the first to the fifth pedals are arranged from right to left in an ascending order from the first one end on the right to the fifth one end on the left, and   a distance between the fourth one end of the fourth pedal and the fifth one end of the fifth pedal is wider than distances between the first one end of the first pedal and the second one end of the second pedal, between the second one end of the second pedal and the third one end of the third pedal and between the third one end of the third pedal and the fourth one end of the fourth pedal.   
     
     
         22 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first and second pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other, and   the third and fourth pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other.   
     
     
         23 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first and second other ends have different widths from each other, and the third and fourth other ends have different widths from each other.   
     
     
         24 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first pedal has a thickness different from that of the second pedal, and the third pedal has a thickness different from that of the fourth pedal.   
     
     
         25 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the operation pedal section includes a sixth pedal including a sixth one end and a sixth other end, arranged side by side on the left of the fifth pedal and configured to execute a fourth function different from the first, second and third functions.   
     
     
         26 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 a distance between the fifth one end of the fifth pedal and the sixth one end of the sixth pedal is narrower than the distance between the fourth one end of the fourth pedal and the fifth one end of the fifth pedal.   
     
     
         27 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the fifth and sixth pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other.   
     
     
         28 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the fifth and sixth other ends have different widths from each other.   
     
     
         29 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the fifth pedal has a thickness different from that of the sixth pedal.   
     
     
         30 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the operation pedal section includes a seventh pedal which is configured to execute a fifth function different from the first to fourth functions, and the seventh pedal is arranged to the left of the sixth pedal.   
     
     
         31 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 upper ends of the second and fourth pedals are provided at a height 1.5 times or higher than upper ends of the first and third pedals with respect to a surface of the base.   
     
     
         32 . A remote control apparatus for remotely controlling a patient-side system including a first medical equipment, a second medical equipment and an endoscope to capture an image of a surgery site, the remote control apparatus comprising:
 a first operation handle to control the first medical equipment;   a second operation handle to control the second medical equipment; and
 an operation pedal section including: 
   a first set of pedals that includes a first pedal including a first one end and a first other end and configured to execute a first function concerning the first medical equipment, and a second pedal including a second one end and a second other end and configured to execute a second function concerning the first medical equipment;
 a second set of pedals that includes a third pedal including a third one end and a third other end and configured to execute the first function concerning the second medical equipment, and a fourth pedal including a fourth one end and a fourth other end and configured to execute the second function concerning the second medical equipment; 
 a third set of pedals that includes a fifth pedal including a fifth one end and a fifth other end and configured to execute a third function different from the first and second functions, and a sixth pedal including a sixth one end and a sixth other end and configured to execute a fourth function different from the first to third functions; and 
 a base by which the first through sixth pedals are supported, wherein 
   the first to the sixth one ends of the first to the sixth pedals are arranged from right to left in an ascending order from the first one end on the right to the sixth one end on the left, and   a distance between the fourth one end of the fourth pedal and the fifth one end of the fifth pedal is wider than distances between the first one end of the first pedal and the second one end of the second pedal, between the second one end of the second pedal and the third one end of the third pedal, between the third one end of the third pedal and the fourth one end of the fourth pedal and between the fifth one end of the fifth pedal and the sixth one end of the sixth pedal.   
     
     
         33 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein
 the operation pedal section includes a seventh pedal which is configured to execute a fifth function different from the first to fourth functions, and the seventh pedal is arranged to the left of the sixth pedal.   
     
     
         34 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein
 the first and second pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other,   the third and fourth pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other, and   the fifth and sixth pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other.   
     
     
         35 . A remote control apparatus for remotely controlling a patient-side system including a first medical equipment, a second medical equipment and an endoscope to capture an image of a surgery site, the remote control apparatus comprising:
 a first operation handle to control the first medical equipment;   a second operation handle to control the second medical equipment; and   an operation pedal section including:
 a first pedal including a first one end and a first other end and configured to execute a first function concerning the first medical equipment; 
 a second pedal including a second one end and a second other end and configured to execute a second function concerning the first medical equipment; 
 a third pedal including a third one end and a third other end and configured to execute the first function concerning the second medical equipment; 
 a fourth pedal including a fourth one end and a fourth other end and configured to execute the second function concerning the second medical equipment; 
 a fifth pedal including a fifth one end and a fifth other end and configured to execute a third function different from the first and second functions; 
 a sixth pedal including a sixth one end and a sixth other end and configured to execute a fourth function different from the first to third functions; and 
 a base by which the first through sixth pedals are supported, wherein 
   the first to the sixth one ends of the first to the sixth pedals are arranged from right to left in an ascending order from the first one end on the right to the sixth one end on the left, and   the first other end of the first pedal and the second other end of the second pedal have different widths from each other, the third other end of the third pedal and the fourth other end of the fourth pedal have different widths from each other and the fifth other end of the fifth pedal and the sixth other end of the sixth pedal have different widths from each other.   
     
     
         36 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein
 the first and second pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other,   the third and fourth pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other, and   the fifth and sixth pedals have different heights and different lengths from each other.   
     
     
         37 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein
 the first pedal has a thickness different from that of the second pedal, the third pedal has a thickness different from that of the fourth pedal, and the fifth pedal has a thickness different from that of the sixth pedal.   
     
     
         38 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein
 the operation pedal section includes a seventh pedal which is configured to execute a fifth function different from the first to fourth functions, and the seventh pedal is arranged to the left of the sixth pedal.   
     
     
         39 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein upper ends of the second and fourth pedals are provided at a height 1.5 times or higher than upper ends of the first and third pedals with respect to a surface of the base. 
     
     
         40 . The remote control apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein
 a distance between the fourth one end of the fourth pedal and the fifth one end of the fifth pedal is wider than distances between the first one end of the first pedal and the second one end of the second pedal, between the second one end of the second pedal and the third one end of the third pedal, between the third one end of the third pedal and the fourth one end of the fourth pedal and between the fifth one end of the fifth pedal and the sixth one end of the sixth pedal.